If you're in the dreaded CC - why not try for a CL [or is it CS ?] - they may be happy to take your custom and money - less rigid application of opening hours?
This is just one of the many reasons why I'd rather be to the east of the water than the west!
good luck
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
The only time we arrived early for a ferry was last year, we got to dover at 8pm even though our ferry to Dunkerque wasn'r untill 6 am trhe next day. We got on the 10pm with no extra charge.
but then they will have to find somewhere to kip on the other side - in the middle of the night - in the dark - on the wrong side of the road - on their first trip -
we know it's easy - but can be a frightening prospect
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
Another problem with that part of the M25 on a Saturday is out of town shopping centres. You have got lakeside at Thurrock and Bluewater on the A2 which can really jam up the M25/A2 junction. It all adds to the congestion
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Hello, We are also from Hull, live in the centre. Have done this journey many times, our house to Dover docks 299 miles.For our main summer break we are using the Hull crossing but only as we are using Tesco Clubcard vouchers, We are using Dover in a few weeks time for a short break away with the van. We are travelling down on a Thursday for a 14 45 crossing so will leave Hull around 6.00am with a couple of stops en route, Our route, A63 M62,M18,A1,A14,M11,M25,A2,M2,A2. There are major roadworks in Dover affecting the approach via A20 so have been advised to use A2,M2 and not the M20, this means shortly after the Dartford crossing follow signs A2 Canterbury and NOT M20 Dover. Hope this helps.
"I feel a bit happier about the Enhlish leg of the journey, now. Then there's France!"
Quite frankly I'm more concerened towing a van in the UK than I am in France!
As it's your first time, no one can blame you for being aprehensive, but once you come to terms with the fact that you're driving on the wrong side of the road & that needs extra concentration, you'll find that the roads are much, much, much better than ours in the UK, OK so you have to pay for using some of the "motorways" but in my humble opinion it's worth ever centime.
The French are much more geared to caravaners (& camping in general) and I have always found a warm welcome from small CL types to the big commercial sites, as for municipal sites, what gems, can you imagine nearly every town in the UK providing a caravan site & actively encouraging campers to come & visit, NO well they do in France!
Relax & Enjoy, just wait untill you come back to the UK, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about & no doubt you'll be planning your next trip Sur le Continent!
------------- GeorgeB
I'm a Grumpa....its just like being a Grandpa..only grumpier!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
don'tug - we have a camper van - but it's brilliant over there, so much more laid back -
auto routes are good - although we try to keep away from them as much as possible
sites are generally good - we generally head for the municipal sites - run by towns and villages and usually inexpensive and very convenient for the local facilities.
remember to do the bonjour bit and merci etc - ca va is always a useful standby!! ;-))))))))))))))
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
Where are you heading in France? Have you already booked your site and planned your route? There are some very helpful titbits on the 'Advice for Continental First-Timers' at the top of this page - definitely worth a read. If there's anything else you need advice on I'm sure someone on here will be able to help.
We stopped at black horse farm, twice. The first time we arrived very late on a Monday for a crossing on the Tuesday and had no problems. Booked again last year and was told that we couldn't arrive after 8pm. Explained that we'd been before and arrived late and they said they had changed their policy.
We booked anyway and planned to arrive by 8pm and got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam, panicked as we though we loose our pitch! Rang Black Horse to explain and were promptly told off for not planning our trip better and leaving earlier!! They then said they would leave our pitch number attached to the notice board and we could pitch as normal - this was the same procedure as we had done the year before! We eventually arrived after 10pm after leaving Swansea about 2pm. A journey that normally takes 5hrs.
Can't you just tell them you are returning home, I don't see the difference it makes!
I love reaving all these tales of nerves for first timers, it brings a smile to my face of how nervous I was last year on our first trip into Europe. Cherrish memories.
how can you possibly claim to be a railway nut and not have visited Co Durham - [and I mean the real Co Durham here - not the mess of government visited on us by The Grocer and his friends ttcchh
Know one of the guys who played a big part of 'building' Teifi Valley Railway - this time around that is
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
As a London boy born and bred, and totally at home with the vagaries of the M25, I would strongly advise you to steer clear of it on a Friday from about 1pm onwards until well into the evening.
If it were me doing your journey on a Saturday, I would come south on the A1/A1M then south of Peterborough follow the signs south on the M11. On arriving at the southern end of the Mll follow signs for the Blackwall tunnel. This becomes the A102M which takes you naturally to the A2 and thence to Dover.
Look at this route on a road map and you'll see that the closest you come to the M25 is when you go under it and the Eastway route through East London is an absolute doddle.
The only thing I would check is the football fixtures for that Saturday. Both Leyton Orient and Charlton Athletic are closeby this route and if either are at home there could be a bit of a prob - more at Charlton than at the Orient!
I know everyone curses the M25 and a great deal of scaremongering goes on about it, but god alone knows where us Londoners would be without it. In my experience, it only becomes a problem when some prat decides to have an accident on it. It is no worse than the periphique in Paris and I've used that enough times with great success.
in the campsite search has a late arrival field. I have been there, and it looked ok, but didn't stay there myself, I stayed at Clifford Park Caravans just up the road. Not the campsite I didn't like, I just needed to fill the motorcaravan with water and empty the toilet, and I wasn't especially late. Clifford Park comes down and opens the gate as they live on site if you're not too late. Hawthorn Road appeared to have gone when we got there, but you just pitch and leave the money.
Both are a reasonable price, far more then I'd like to pay for a few hours stop, then rush off the next day without using the shower or getting my money's worth, but they are within 10 mins of the ferry port, on the quiet side of the town, even at 9am. I can save money on the ferry, and the shopping at Auchan, and the campsites in France then.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Getting to Dover
